Learning Log Entry on "Reading Supports for All"

This was a rather provocative reading on how to structure classes to support ESL students - focusing especially on providing a Scaffolded Reading Experience (SRE).  The provocative part was not the discussion of prereading, postreading, activities, etc. - because we have already been exposed to these ideas in other readings.  However, this article did mention the idea of "slicing" student goals to create a more realistic subset of specially tailored tasks for ESL students.  This was something I had not seen before.

I thought that this kind of "slicing" seems like a reasonable idea, and it is something I would consider doing with some of my own math students.  For instance, right now I am tutoring an algebra student who recently came to America from India.  Language barriers and differences in curriculum have placed her hopelessly behind the class as far as learning all the material well enough to get a passing grade in the course.  However, by working with her on specific basic concepts, I am at least giving her a chance to learn something from the class, and there is a good chance that if she takes the course again she will be able to pass it next time.  So, I do think that the idea of "slicing" assignments down for specific students has merit.

The one issue with "slicing" that the article did not address is how to evaluate progress for a student who is merely taking a "slice" of the curriculum being performed by the other students.  By the end of her algebra class, my student will almost certainly not have a passing grade for algebra.  So, based on this measure at least she will have made no academic progress whatsoever - but this will not be a reflection of reality.  Thus I think it is too bad that our system of assessing student progress has no means of measuring this kind of progress.  And as we all know, what we measure tends to influence what we teach.  Thus is seems unlikely that "slicing" curriculum for students who would benefit from it (not all of whom are ESL students) is unlikely to ever be very popular at the secondary school level.